cast bullets in 243... help me out

[dakotashooter2]

I recently started loading cast bullets for the 243. The are a GC lyman design dropping at 95 gr.  dropping from ww @ .244 and sized at .243.

I have shot various loads from 1200 fps to around 2000 fps with miserable results, including no accuracy and a lot of keyholeing.

At first I thought the keyholeing was from loads too slow but bumping them up made little difference.

I discovered something today that may shed some light on the subject.
While picking up some of my pistol brass I happened to find 2 of my cast bullets on the ground about 15 feet from the target.

Neither had any nose damage so I'm not sure if the dropped short or bounced off the target but the noses were facing the target. The gas checks on both showed signs of expansion but had no rifling marks nor did the bullets suggesting that maybe they were stripping. All the bands on the bullet showed extensive erosion and the fired bullets measured .238.

I am seating these fairly deep and it may be possible that the erosion is due to the deep seating. The bans above the case neck are eroded about the same.

I need some diagnostic help here from the experienced.

[KSR]

How soft is the lead you are using?

[Flash]

I'd recomend scrubbing the bore unless you've done that already. the bore really needs to sparkle before you get acceptable results with cast bullets. Two thousand feet per second is rather fast unless you really dialed everything with your reloads. Don't seat the bullet base below the case neck due to the gas cutting. Don't overcrimp or don't crimp at all. Keep the velocity under 1,500 fps and shoot "as cast" diameter bullets and see if this helps. I never size my bullets unless it's as a last result.
Good luck

[dakotashooter2]

I am using wheel weights though I just cast some more bullets with lead melted down from some commercial cast 30 cal bullets I wasn't happy with. They should be harder. The only reason I sized at all is to seat the GC and lube. I probably need to find a .244 sizer die.

[DPRinks]

Dakota;
I am looking at a target from 2 weeks ago, Rem. 788, .243. Gibson's el cheapo scope from '84, the Lyman, supposed to be 83gr, mine weigh 91gr with lube and gas check.
!
14gr IMR4227, 1500fps, 3 in 1/2" at 50yd, 16gr Imr 4227,1650fps,  3 in 1/2 x3/4" ,50yd, 24gr IMR 4198, 2300fps, 2 touching 3rd ,1/2" to right, 50yd,26gr IMR 4198, 2550fps, all 3 missed the paper, 50yd.

I was using air cooled ww's with 2% Tin, am going to try again with water dropped bullets and see how much I can increase the velocity.
Air cooled, my alloy has a BHN of about 11-12, water dropped, it is about 17-18.
Using both liquid alox and LBT soft blue, latter applied in the hot sardine can method.
Don

[dakotashooter2]

I think I'm going to have to ditch this style bullet. My encore will not allow me to seat them out enough to keep the base above the neck and I think the errosion is doing me in.

[rickyp]

dakotashooter2,
would you be willing to ship me some out to try out of my 243 winchester barrel? maybe something like 10-20 so I can get a feel how they will work

[JPH45]

Have you slugged your bore? I have thought for years that one could get away without that, not today. And I think at least some trouble I had in past was the result of a bad fitting bullet.

If you have a bore riding design, (moast cast bullets for rifles are) then being true on the groove diameter is simply not good enough. The bullet must fit the bore diameter as well. I have a 30-30 that has a .310 groove diameter and a .307 bore diameter. It simply will not shoot bore riding designs that have a .300 nose. It'll group ok up to 1200 fps, after that I get patterns at best. Ridiculous as it may sound, take one of your bullets and see if it will enter the muzzle, nose of the bullet first. There should be at least a slight drag, I haven't found a bore rider yet that fits, all will rattle in my barrel. Buy a pack of the round fishing weights of .25" in diameter and drive one into your nuzzle and one into your breech for a couple inches, sinker lead is dead soft and won't hurt your barrel, a little metal will shear away, but this work won't damage your barrel. Once you know how your barrel is sized, you can do something to solve the problem. But untill you know your barrels dimensions, you are wasting your time hoping you will stumble on a fix. Hope this helps.